Mike Calou

English 5870

Dr. Devries

February 28, 2009

 

Paired Observation

Partner: Ned Weidner

Time: 5:30-5:51pm

Place: Mom’s Java House, CSU Stanislaus

Question:  How do people interact?  What ways do people interact when ordering and working at a coffee shop?

 

Note-Taking                                                                                        Note-Making

Start observation

 

Worker 1 (male) greeted a female customer               I’m not close enough to hear the conversation. 

-eye contact with customer                                         Next time I observe interactions make sure to position myself closer to action.

Worker 2 (female) makes hot drink.  She looks

  at the coffee machine while making the drink.

 

Brief conversation between worker 1 and 2

 

“Large mocha” says worker 2- customer picks up drink

 

Worker 2 (smiles) greets female customer

 

Worker 1 makes iced drink while talking to

  worker 2.

 

Worker 2 makes hot dink at espresso machine

 

Worker 2 cleans metal container

 

Worker 1 and 2 converse near “Smoothie” sign

 

Worker 2 points to customer

 

Worker 2 washes her hands.

 

Worker 1 (no smile) greets two female customers

- worker 1 is chewing something                                gum?

 

Four customers in line

 

Worker 2 cleans utensils

 

Worker 2 takes customer (female) order.                    Worker 2 takes orders faster than worker 1

 

Worker 1= W1            Worker 2= W2                        Abbreviations easier to record

 

W1 makes hot drink

W2 greets two female customers – takes money

  and gives change.

W1 and W2 both making drinks – W2 iced drink,

  W1 hot drink

“White mocha” says W1- customer picks up drink

There are no customers in line

W1 makes another hot drink

W2 pours iced drink into cup and says,

 “Strawberry smoothie” – customer picks up drink

W2 takes order from two female customers

One person in line

W1 comes to order counter for two clear plastic cups

W2 gives change to female customer.

W1 starts blender

Two male customers in line.

W1 makes another iced drink and turns off blender

W1 gives drink to customer

W2 takes order from male customer

W2 marks cup for order

W2 gives coffee card to customer

W1 makes iced drink

W2 takes order from female customer

W1 makes hot drink

W1 pours white liquid into silver container and puts

   Container under espresso machine

 

End of observation

 

Reflection

 

            As I was taking notes I couldn’t help but compare the styles of the two workers.  I think it is human nature to do this.  Worker number one (male) did not appear, at least to me, to be comfortable taking drink orders.  He seemed to be more at ease making drinks.  The reason I say this is because of “body language.”  I did not make any reference to body language in my note taking; however, I was consciously observing body language during the observation.  I also think that worker number two (female) appeared more comfortable taking drink and food orders from customers.  Again, the reason I feel this way is because of the body language I observed.  Let me give you an example.  Worker two (female) smiled every time she interacted with a customer.  It didn’t make any difference if the customer was male or female.  On the other hand, worker one did not smile when he took drink orders.  I did take notes that corroborate my previous assumptions about worker one and two.  Another example of “body language” that I did not record in my notes was my perception about where each worker appeared to gravitate as they worked.  Worker one seemed to me to “gravitate” to the espresso machine and blender.  In other words, he appeared to make an effort to make the drinks.  Worker two seemed to “gravitate” to the cash register to take customer orders.  What I don’t know, and probably should have asked, was whether each worker had assigned jobs or if the workers were supposed to “do what was necessary” to keep drinks going to customers.  The answer to this question may have provided insight into my “body language” theory.

            What I have learned from this experience is that it really would have helped my reflection if I had recorded some dialogue; dialogue between the workers and the customers and dialogue between the two workers.  Dialogue would have given me factual evidence to substantiate my theory about where worker one and two prefer to work: either making drinks or greeting customers.  Without dialogue I was left with only superficial observations of overt behavior that I had to “interpret.”  I think the problem with ethnographic research is when the ethnographer tries to “interpret” what is happening in a situation.  My observations and reflection are biased because I did not have enough information (dialogue) to make an unbiased statement about the interactions of the two workers.

            I have read Ned’s notes and reflection and they are very different from my notes and reflection.  Ned gave a very focused observation of the scene at Mom’s: smoothie signs, customer descriptions, dialogue.  In his note making, Ned made some assumptions: cute customer, tall girls.  It is difficult not to bring preconceived thoughts to an observation.  As ethnographers, both Ned and I would agree that we need to form a question and then reflect based on actual observation and any other information we can gather about the scene or situation we are observing.